Per Incanto's Little Brose Captures Merson Cooper

Mark Smith - Saturday November 26

Second on debut in the Group III Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington, the Per Incanto (USA) colt Little Brose went one better in Saturday’s Listed Thoroughbred Club Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.

Little Brose strong to the line (image Grant Courtney)

Ridden by Michael Dee for Ben and JD Hayes, Little Brose came from midfield to defeat the sensationally backed Exceed And Excel colt Cylinders by one and a quarter lengths with a further long head back to the fast-finishing Written By colt Gangitano, who edged out Remedies (Sepoy) for third.

JD Hayes said the son of Per Incanto (USA) is likely to miss the Magic Millions 2yo Classic in favour of the Blue Diamond.

“He really trained on nicely, out of that good run (at Flemington) where the leader came from last, and we did a few things wrong,” Hayes said.

“He paraded a lot better today and it was an exceptional performance by him, Thanks to Mr Young (owner) - he took the horse one out at the Gold Coast (Magic Millions) and luckily he’s got a Listed winner before Christmas.

“We’ll probably have to resist the temptation of taking him to Queensland because we do think he’d really hold his own in a race like the Blue Diamond.”

Little Brose will likely target the Blue Diamond (image Grant Courtney)

Michael Dee said Little Brose learned plenty from his debut.

Advertisement

“He gave me a really nice feel today, even going to the gates seemed very mature,” Dee said.

“Ben and JD said before the race he’s come here in a much better way. He was calm in the mounting yard which was a good indication that he’d taken the right direction from his first run at Flemington, and it was pretty soft on the line.”

Little Brose a $200,000 Magic Millions yearling

A $200,000 purchase for Lindsay Park Racing from the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Little Brose is the fourth winner from six to race out of the stakes-winning Straight Man mare Mohegan Sky (USA).

A half-sister to the Listed winner and multiple Grade III placed Vous (Wild Rush), Mohegan Sky (USA) was a $25,000 online purchase in 2021 but she sadly died on October 11.

Her final foal is a yearling filly by Russian Revolution.

Little Brose is the 26th stakes-winner for Little Avondale Stud’s top-class Street cry (IRE) stallion Per Incanto (USA).

Visit the profile page for Per Incanto

Per Incanto in upcoming sales:
Advertisment

Race Result - T'bred Club Merson Cooper Stks LR 1000m

Caulfield Track: Good(4) Time: 0:58.37
1
Little Brose
- 2c Per Incanto (USA) x Mohegan Sky (USA) (Straight Man (USA))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: M J Dee 58
2
1.3
Cylinder
- 2c Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Circular (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: B Shinn 58
3
1.5
Gangitano
- 2c Written By (AUS) x Colosimo (AUS) (Foxwedge (AUS))
Tnr: Amy & Ash Yargi Rdr: Craig Williams 58
Written By
4
1.6
Remedies
- 2f Sepoy (AUS) x Virage De Fortune (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: M Zahra 56
5
2.6
Fludway
- 2c Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Apamurra (USA) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Freedman Rdr: D Moor 58
6
5.4
Hell
- 2c Hellbent (AUS) x Miss Wonderland (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: John Allen 58
7
6.6
Heuristic
- 2c Street Boss (USA) x Admissible (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: B Mc Dougall 58
8
7.6
Bona Fide Star
- 2g Stratosphere (AUS) x In Theory (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: G Richards & D Moyle Rdr: Jordan Childs 58
More Reading...
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
The Rosehill trials on Friday morning featured a couple of juvenile heats and both winners came out of the Widden Stud draft at Magic Millions with one topping the sale at $2.8million and the other selling for a modest $150,000.
Coolmore Favs get the Flemington Straight Experience in Jump Outs
Beiwacht, Beadman and Skyhook, three of the top four in the market for next month’s Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes had a jump out down the Flemington straight on Friday with Beadman quite the eye-catcher.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 23
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$400,000 Invincible Filly a Grand Investment
A three-quarter sister-in-blood to dual Group I winning mare Charm Stone, stakes-placed I Am Invincible filly Naifah always looked well bought at the 2025 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $400,000.
Tarzino Stayer Wins G3 Geelong Cup
Trainer Paul Preusker will get another tilt at a Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) after Torranzino ran out a strong winner of the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on Thursday.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 MVRC Cox Plate
An emotional week in Australasian racing approaches its crescendo as we count down to the final Cox Plate before a radical new era in its history begins and we mourn the passing of one of its greatest champions.
$140,000 NZB Ready to Run Graduate Books Ticket to G1 Victoria Derby
Bred for stamina being by Melbourne Cup winner Shoicking from a daughter of Tavistock, talented Kiwi bred three-year-old Azazel has booked his passage for the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) on Saturday week after a tough victory in the Listed Roderick Insurance Brokers 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) at Geelong on Thursday.